Commissioners approve letter of intent to purchase new cruiser

DARKE COUNTY – County commission on Wednesday approved a letter of intent with TriStar Motors in Blairsville, Pa. to purchase a sheriff’s cruiser.

The purchase is being made to replace a cruiser totaled in an accident, which occurred Sept. 27.

According to the letter, the 2019 Ford Interceptor Utility Police vehicle will cost $31,580, and is being purchased with monies from the county’s 2018 General Fund Budget.

Also Wednesday, commissioners rescinded an action taken Monday, Nov. 5, when they unanimously approved 100 cases of copy paper to be purchased from Office Depot.

Seven vendors were contacted by the commissioner’s office requesting bids for recyclable copy paper. Five were returned.

Following a review of the Office Depot bid, it was determined the quote was not for the requested recyclable paper.

After hearing prior to Wednesday’s commission meeting that Office Depot was unable to meet the remaining quotes submitted by the other four vendors, commissioners moved to rescind Monday’s motion and accepted a quote of $3,300 from Sterling Distribution of Maumee.

Also Wednesday, Commissioner Mike Stegall said he wanted to thank voters who supported him at the polls on Tuesday.

Running unopposed, Stegall will serve four more years as a county commissioner.

“I want to thank everyone for their support,” he said. “We’ve got good people to work with in Darke County.”

Stegall said he was aware there were some “bumps in the road” facing Darke County, but with the support of the county’s employees they (commissioners) would find ways to solve issues.

“I appreciate working with them,” he said.

Also this week, commissioners on Monday approved compensation to be paid by three county school districts for school resource officers.

In August, commissioners approved contracts with Tri-Village, Franklin Monroe and Mississinawa Valley and the Darke County Sheriff’s Office to provide three deputies to be employed through the school year as SROs.

At that time, compensation was paid by each district to the county for August through December 2018, at a rate of $26,680.80, with the remainder of the school year to be determined after negotiations with the sheriff’s union were complete. Last week, commissioners announced a year-long extension with the union, which includes no pay raises for the upcoming year.

On Monday, commissioners approved a compensation rate of $33,351 to be paid to the county by each district for service to be provided for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year. The districts will be billed twice for the sum of $16,675 in March and again in June.

The SROs will provide 40 hours of service each week at their assigned district during the school year.

When school is not in session, deputies will be assigned other duties according to department needs.